


Captain and his First Mate

by DaveHarley (NedandChuck)



Category: iZombie (TV)
Genre: (Clive and Major ship it hence the title), Blind Date, F/M, Slow Build, the second ship is mostly just hinted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 16:58:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4145553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NedandChuck/pseuds/DaveHarley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: "Clive as ship-master!" by darthflake on tumblr</p><p>Clive and Major set their friends up on a date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Captain and his First Mate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darthflake](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=darthflake).



> Ok first of all this is the third time I've redone this and I'm finally happy with it. I was gonna post the second one too but..  
> Secondly please enjoy!!

There are three rules Clive Babineaux has regarding his coworkers.

  1. **Never get involved with them.**

  2. **Never get involved with their friends.**

  3. **Never get involved in their relationships.**




Romantic entanglements in work environments, he's come to learn, only result in disaster.

So he's _really_ mad at himself when he finds him breaking rule number three, but Liv and Ravi are just so annoyingly attracted to one another, and neither seems to notice, so he had to do something. Clive approaches Major with his idea, laying out a plan to set them both up on “blind dates” with each other.

“Clive, no offense, but I don't know whether I can trust your judgment.” Liv doesn't look up from the book she's skimming in the passenger seat of his cop-mobile.

“How do I not take offense to that?” He shakes his head and glances over at her. “Okay, you don't have to trust my judgement, trust Major's.”

Liv sighs and shuts her book, looking up at him after a moment. “He chose _me_ before, can I really trust his, either?”

Clive, without any coherent argument as to why the girl he feels is practically his sister is amazing and wonderful, simply reaches one hand over and smacks her in the arm. “Come on, don't you dare give me that, you know how I am with reassuring speeches. Just trust me, Liv, you do it every day.”

She gave him a fond smile and ducked away from the hand mussing her hair. “Alright, if I must. Eyes on the road!!”

 

Liv makes him promise to stay at the bar of the restaurant for at least fifteen minutes after her date arrives, in case she couldn't stand him. She flashes an apologetic smile to Major, who made an offended noise at the suggestion, and followed the waitress to the table reserved under 'Babineaux'.

Ravi arrives exactly on time, ten minutes after Liv. He meets his roommate and the detective at the bar, prancing in place as he downs the shot Major passes him. Clive isn't sure what was in the glass, but it made Ravi's face screw up and stopped the way he hopped from one foot to the other.

“Nervous, bro?” Major smirks as the Brit nods quickly. “Don't be, you'll love her. You might already.”

“I've not even met her, Major,” Ravi argues, glancing around the restaurant for any sign of his mystery suitor. “Alright, into the fray. Wish me luck.”

Major claps him on the back, and Clive tells him to put his natural charms to work, and Ravi is off, starting towards the greeter before backtracking and hightailing it to the restroom.

“Ready?” Major is standing suddenly.

“I, uh, where are we going, exactly?” Clive gathers his jacket and stands warily, nearly getting knocked off his feet when Major grabs his shoulders and guides him to the hostess stand.

“Table for two under Lilywhite.”

The man behind the counter blinks in surprise, but gathers the menus and silverware quickly and guides the two of them to a booth a couple spots away from where Liv is still waiting. The building is relatively empty, so they can hear the impatient taps her spoon makes against the table, muffled by a pristine white cloth.

A few moments pass before a server leads Ravi to the table.

 

“Excuse me, I believe we've been set up,” Liv hears a clearly familiar accent behind her. And she can place exactly who's it is. She turns in her seat.

“ _Ravi?”_

“Liv!” he looks as surprised as she feels. After a moment, he starts chuckling nervously, “What a coincidence!”

"Major and Clive are so dead.” Liv says darkly.

“What, you think they set us up on purpose?” Ravi pauses a moment. “Of course they did... I can, I'll go, if you want.”

He starts to pull the jacket in his arms back on when she interrupts. “Why?”

Ravi stops and blinks at her, confused.

“Why should you have to leave? We're friends, aren't we?” at his hesitant nod, she continues. “Then why can't we have a nice dinner together? Just to show them. I got all dressed up for tonight, I at least expect a friendly evening.”

“But you can't, ah,” he gestures to the food a waiter carries past.

She leans in and, just as the woman seated next to them laughs uproariously, quietly says, “I had a good batch before we got here. Of someone who wasn't, you know, murdered, or a total weirdo.”

Ravi laughs, and she sits back, smiling. “I suppose. Well then, Ms Moore, would you like to go on a completely platonic date with me?”

“Ravi,” she puts a hand to her chest, feigning surprise. “I would love to!”

 

“Nothing is that funny,” Clive frowns at the woman who made him miss whatever Liv had whispered across the table. His cross attitude towards her softens as her partner takes on a proud look, obviously pleased with making her date so hysterical. “What were they saying?”

“As if I know,” Major scoffs, but he sort of looks like he _does_ know. Clive brushes it off and refocuses his attention on his coworkers, who have started talking about some Netflix series. (Orange is the New Black, maybe, or Daredevil, as Ravi puts his fingers on either side of his head to indicate horns. Though that might just be about Larry.)

Their server comes by to take their order, and immediately after, heads to the table with the M.E.s. Ravi orders some ridiculously bright and obnoxious drink with a completely straight face – probably just to make Liv laugh, given his pleased expression when she chokes up at his monotoning 'Tropical Pineapple Cabansa' - and Liv asks for a rum and coke, eyeing the hot sauce on the table.

“Do you think this'll work?” Clive's attention is startled away from the menu.

He glances over at the laughing doctors and grins. “I would bet on it.”

“Alright, ten bucks says they'll get together by the end of the week.”

“What? No, I wasn't-” At Major's challenging look, he narrows his eyes. “Fine, fifteen says they'll figure it out by sometime tomorrow.”

“That's before the end of the week,” he points out.

“It's more specific than that,” Clive argues, and his eyes are drawn back to the couple in time to see Ravi fondly watching Liv as she leans over a child's coloring sheet, scribbling away.

 

Liv looks up from her completed maze to glance sheepishly at her date. “Apparently now I'm an artist.”

“A very good one at that,” Ravi taps her lopsided picture of a dog and she glares.

“Fuck off,” she mumbles before returning to the paper to fill out the word find. She completely misses the giant grin on his face.

They sit in companionable silence for a moment before their drinks arrive. Liv sucks hers thoughtfully through the little straw provided. “You know, I was really worried about the date.”

He could not look more confused. “Why would you be?”

“I don't know,” she taps a crayon nervously on the coloring sheet, “I haven't been on a date in a while. Not since, well, not really since Lowell. Not technically since Major. And forget about first dates, I don't know how long it's been. I wasn't sure if I would remember _how_ to do this. This version of me is so... I hate it. I miss being normal.”

Ravi frowned deeply. He sat back for a moment, fingers playing around the stem of his glass (probably the only part without a wildly colored umbrella poking out of it). “I didn't know you back then,” he says finally, gravely. “But I don't think of that as the 'normal' you. I think you would have done just fine across the table from a total stranger, and they would have loved you just the same as if you were how you were back then. I know you're different now, but I can't really imagine any version of you I would love more than the one I know.”

Liv contemplates his words for a moment, twisting the straw in her glass between her fingers. She leans back and downs half her drink, leaving Ravi to wonder if what he said was what she needed, or completely wrong.

 

Clive might actually tear up.

Okay, maybe he already has. He can't help cheering on these kids. (Who are his age. Whatever.)

Major is staring at them with furrowed brows, and Clive can't help but wonder if he's feeling hurt. Liv was his fiancee, after all. Maybe involving him in this wasn't such a good idea.

“Are you okay?” he asks after their waitress has assured them that their food will be ready shortly, diverting Major's attention from the pair they set up. “If this is uncomfortable for you, we can just leave.”

He looks up, his expression reading that he can't imagine why he would be uncomfortable, until it dawns on him. “No, it's not anything like that. It's just that Rav is my roommate. He's a really good friend of mine. I don't want to mess anything up between two people so close to me.”

“I know what you mean,” Clive stirs his tea with the provided spoon distractedly. “I work with them, it would be so awkward if whatever they have doesn't work out. But,” he pauses and squints at the drink swirling in his glass. “I think it's better to get them to realize what this is now when they're both single than let one pine over the other when they figure it out while the other is in a relationship.”

Major shrugs as Clive squints to make sure his words make sense. “I just don't want them to seriously hurt one another.”

Clive snorts and gives the two of them a pointed look. “Honestly? I don't know that they're capable of it.”

Major looks over his shoulder to watch them bicker over some comic book nonsense as they hand their menus to a clearly amused waitress.

“Yeah, you might be right.”

 

“Please,” Liv frowns, “Batman is clearly the mopier hero.”

“Are you kidding?” Ravi lets his mouth fall open. “Have you read Superman's comics? Batman needs to be labeled 'The Dark Knight' to assure people that he's angsty, Clark just naturally oozes broodiness.”

Their server approaches the table with their food and a bright smile. She had taken an interest in their argument about whether the new cartoon counted towards the Teen Titan's canon, and her eyes sparkled as she asks, “So, who's winning?”

Liv leans back to give her better access to the table. She gives Ravi a significant smirk.

“Liv won our previous argument in favor of _Teen Titans Go!_ not being canon. We're on to _DC's Broodiest Super: Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent?”_ He stuck his nose in the air. “It's Superman.”

“That's an awful tough one,” she nods sagely and sets down Ravi's meal. “Tell me how it goes. Enjoy!”

“Thank you!” Ravi calls after her.

Liv swallows a bite of hot sauce drenched gnocchi and lets out a pleased sound. Ravi pauses with his fork in his mouth and stares at her food. When she's distracted, he stabs a potato, forgoing the dipping bowl of hot sauce she has set up next to her plate, and retracts his hand before she can let out a, “Hey!”

“That is pretty good,” he comments, pretending to not hear her cry of outrage.

“You have to share, too, now,” she scowls, waving her fork at his calzone. “Date rules.”

“Do I?” he hums thoughtfully as he cuts off a piece of his dinner. “Is that so?”

“Ravi, come on!” Liv frowns until he relents, pushing his plate towards her so she can cut off a bite.

“I suppose,” he sighs in defeat, but wears a bright smile, “If it's in the rules.”

 

Clive alternates between watching his coworkers steal one another's food and twisting spaghetti onto his fork. Major focuses more on his dinner, but demands updates every time he hears Clive snort about something one of them do.

“This seems to be working awfully well.” He comments as Ravi desperately saves his napkin from getting set on fire by the candle in the middle of the table. Liv goes to blow it out, but her date protests. “So long as they don't burn the place down.”

Major laughs and turns around to see Ravi patting a burned stray string on his napkin, arguing for the candle to stay lit. “They're practically married already.”

“And they didn't even invite us to the  wedding,” Clive says dryly.

The other man keeps chuckling, turning back around and tossing Clive an award-winning smile. “I would say that this is a job well done.”

“It's not done yet,” the detective warns. “But I have a good feeling.”

Major gestures to his empty bowl, and Clive's nearly empty plate. “You about ready to go?”

“Sure, call for the check.” Clive finishes the last bites of his spaghetti and downs his tea.

They split the payment, and wander into the cold night air that smells like rain and cigarettes.

“So,” Major sucks in a breath as if he's working up courage. “We should do this again sometime.”

Clive laughs, “Set up our friends on a potentially awful date?”

“No,” his expression turns serious, so Clive sets his mouth in a straight line as well, “Go out. The two of us.”

“Uh,” Clive blinks in shock at the implication, “Yeah, we should.”

Major nods curtly. “Right, yeah. You have my number.” It sounds almost like a question, or an affirmation.

“I do,”

“Cool,” he pauses awkwardly and nods again. “See you around.”

Clive watches Major wander to the curb and hail a cab. There go all three of his rules (he's worked with Major before, it probably technically counts). But he can't seem to care.

 

Ravi offers Liv a bite of his chocolate cake by cutting it off with his spoon and holding it in the air before her until she notices. When she does, she looks between it and him until he explains.

“Revenge,” he says simply. For stealing her gnocchi without permission.

Liv smiles softly and takes the spoon in her mouth, only getting to savor the cake for a second before realizing what she's doing. She sits back quickly, forgetting to release the utensil from her teeth and jerking it out of Ravi's hand. He looks a bit wide eyed and flushed, and she tries to relieve the awkwardness of the situation by smoothly pulling the spoon from her mouth and dishing some crème brûlée onto it, offering it back. He carefully takes it from her hand before eating the bite.

“Mine's better,” he brags after a moment, and Liv breaths a sigh of relief.

“As if,” she scoffs, “It's way too sweet.”

“I guess you have to be it to handle it,”

Liv's mouth drops open in faux offense. “I don't even want to think about how you take your coffee.”

“I think you mean how I take my sweetener.” he teases.

Their waitress comes by to offer them the check, so they can get the payment sorted while the two of them finish off their desserts. She comes back minutes later with a confused look on her face. “Sorry, it seems as though your bill has been taken care of by a couple gentlemen who were seated over there.”

Liv follows her finger to a booth a few spots away from their table. She had an idea as to who the two gentlemen were.

Ravi smiles brilliantly and thanks the waitress. “That was nice of them. Do you suppose they were trying to apologize for tricking us?”

“Maybe,” Liv hums, unsure.

“Well, regardless, I would say this night was definitely not a loss.”

“I had fun.” Liv stands, and Ravi's already ready with her coat.

“Shall we?” He offers her his arm with a soft smile, and she takes it, ducking her head to hide – well, she doesn't blush anymore, so she supposes it's only a force of habit.

The blast of cold air that greets them when they step into the night doesn't seem so bad, because Ravi blocks most of it, and he's impossibly _warm_.

“Peyton's going to get a kick out of this story,” Liv laughs as she heads forward to wave down a taxi. When she reaches the curb, her heels unbalance her, making her ankle twist as gravity pulls her down. She braces for impact, squeezing her eyes shut, but all she feels is a steady arm around her waist. She opens her eyes and peeks at the ground, finding herself at an angle for a moment before Ravi pulls her back up. It's like a situation straight out of a romantic comedy, and it's enough to make her laugh.

He chuckles nervously, too. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just tripped, you know?”

“I've never actually worn heels,” she glares, “But I think I can imagine.” He helps her into a taxi cab and slides into the seat next to her. Off her lost stare, he grins, “You're a little drunk. What kind of date would I be if I didn't help you home?”

The ride to Liv and Peyton's apartment goes by fairly quickly, filled with a heated debate about the most recent Doctor Who season and how the show has deteriorated.

Liv trips again walking down the hall to the elevator, so Ravi carries her shoes all the way to her door.

The moment they spend awkwardly standing in front of it, Liv spends wondering if he'll kiss her. Sure, she had said at the beginning that it was a friend-date, but she couldn't help but maybe, well,  _anticipate_ something.

She lifts her keys toward the door and mutters, “This is me.”

Ravi nods slowly, not taking his eyes off hers. Liv reaches slowly for the handle, not really watching her movements, and then he closes the distance between them, leaning over and kissing her soundly.

She leaves her keys in the lock to wrap her arms around his neck and pull herself onto her tiptoes, pressing against him and tilting her head slightly. She takes no time to kiss him back, maybe because she's expecting it, or because she's been _wanting_ something like this to happen for an amount of time she can't really figure out, and doesn't want to right now, because it's happening, and she wants to pour her thoughts into it.

He pulls back and blinks rapidly to drag himself back to reality. Quietly, he asks, “Is that okay?”

Liv nods, knocking her head against his. She presses her lips together and lowers herself back down as he straightens. A small smile plays on her lips.

Ravi is practically beaming almost immediately. He gestures down the hall, “I should probably get home.” he nods, “I'll see you, though?”

He sounds sort of hopeful, and Liv can't help but find that adorable. “See you. Good night, Ravi.”

“Good night, Liv.” he ducks his head and turns on his heels.

Liv enters her house and closes the door quietly behind her. Next time, she would definitely trust Clive.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had to upload this in a hurry, bfore my dad got home, so it's unedited for now.  
> I stayed up until two am writing this :D


End file.
